Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said skilling the youth holds the key to India becoming the third-largest economy in the world from the fifth now and asserted his government is committed to ensure benefits of skill development reach all sections of society, including Dalits and tribals.
Modi said the focus of his government is to create maximum employment opportunities through infrastructure and development projects and by giving fillip to manufacturing, while sectors neglected since the country's independence, too, are getting covered under the Centre's push for job creation.
Virtually addressing a "Rozgar Mela", or employment fair, organised by the Gujarat government at the Mahatma Mandir convention centre in Gandhinagar, Modi said nearly 1.5 lakh youth were given government jobs in the state during the last five years and 25,000 more such positions will be made available in 2023.
The PM emphasised on the need to create a skilled workforce on a large scale to tap growing opportunities in various sectors.
"For the new opportunities being created in the country, we need to create skilled manpower on a large scale.
“India can achieve the target of becoming the third-largest economy only by skilling its youth," he said.
India became the world's fifth-largest economy last year.
"We are trying to see that benefits of skill development reach each and every section of society, be it Dalits, tribals or women.
“We are focussing on how everyone gets equal opportunity to grow," he said.
According to Modi, his government's "holistic approach" of development is creating a large number of jobs in the country.
"Today, nearly 90,000 start-ups are functioning in the country, that too in tier-II and tier-III cities.
“Apart from creating new employment opportunities, these start-ups are inspiring lakhs of youths to take up self-employment.
“The government is providing them financial assistance without any bank guarantee," the PM pointed out.
In his address to the gathering through video conference, Modi highlighted schemes like Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana and Stand-Up India and said they have helped in promoting self-employment in the country.
The PM said the focus of this government is to create employment opportunities even in those sectors which have remained neglected after the country's independence.
Turning his attention to his home state, Modi said nearly 18 lakh youths received jobs through employment exchanges during the last few years in Gujarat, ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
"During the last five years, the Gujarat government gave jobs to 1.5 lakh youths. Moreover, nearly 18 lakh youths received jobs through employment exchanges during the last few years in Gujarat... I am told the Gujarat government has planned to give government jobs to 25,000 youths this year," said the PM.